Improved bullpen huge key to Angels hopes

The Angles' Alberto Callaspo gets high fives from teammate Torii Hunter after scoring. ROSE PALMISANO, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels Alberto Callaspo makes a play at third base against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium. PAUL BERSEBACH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Erick Aybar is all smiles. ROD VEAL, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels' Erick Aybar singles on a bunt ground ball at Angel Stadium. ROSE PALMISANO, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels Erick Aybar stops this infield groundball for an out on the Diamondbacks at Angel Stadium. ROD VEAL, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels Howie Kendrick loses his bat in the first inning of their game with the Tampa Bay Rays in Anaheim. The bat flew into the third base stands. PAUL BERSEBACH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The Angels Howie Kendrick hits what would be ruled a double after fan interference in right field during their game with the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium. PAUL BERSEBACH, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Kaleb Cowart, left, of Cook High School in Adel, Ga. holds his trophy as the 2009-10 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year SUSAN GOLDMAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Angels made one enormous splash this winter, a shocking move that took most of the baseball world by surprise, but that's not the move that has General Manager Jerry Dipoto most excited about the team's chances of taking the next step to get back to the postseason though.

While Dipoto was thrilled to land superstar Josh Hamilton, the five additions to the pitching staff, specifically the two to the bullpen, are where the difference could lie for the 2013 Angels as pitchers and catchers report for spring training today.

"The depth of the bullpen is the area I believe of the most significant improvement," Dipoto said. "It was an area of weakness for us last year. We tried to make adjustments. That's an area I feel we got a lot better."

How much better? That depends on Ryan Madson, which means he's the single most important player to watch in Arizona.

A native of Moreno Valley who grew up as an Angels fan, Madson came home to revive his career after missing the 2012 season because of Tommy John surgery. Madson's surgery was in April, and the normal rehab time is 12 months, so it'll be close to see if he can be ready for opening day.

"We have a conservative game plan that will get him out against live hitters in the middle of March, which will allow us to assess if he can start opening day or be a late arrival," Dipoto said. "We don't have a hard date. We are perfectly satisfied with where he is."

If Madson is healthy and at his peak performance — and both are legitimate questions — he is one of the best relievers in baseball, with a 2.89 ERA over his past five full seasons. He would be the Angels closer.

The Angels also added left-hander Sean Burnett, quietly one of baseball's most reliable left-handed relievers. The addition of Madson and Burnett to a group that includes Ernesto Frieri, Kevin Jepsen and Scott Downs gives Manager Mike Scioscia a bullpen five-deep with pitchers who have had success in the late innings.

"It's the best group of guys we've put out there in a number of years," Dipoto said.

That should be quite a relief — pun intended — for fans who saw the Angels blow 22 save opportunities, tied for most in the league, in 2012. The Angels finished four games out of a playoff spot, so the bullpen failures were critical.

Change is even more dramatic in the Angels rotation, but the improvement is not quite as easy to see.

Dipoto, however, didn't see only recognizable names and impressive resumes.

He saw three pitchers who all would have cost at least $12 million, two of whom (Haren and Santana) were coming off bad years. He replaced them for a total of $18.725 million. All three newcomers throw strikes and let hitters put the ball in play, which Dipoto believes will play well in a pitcher-friendly ballpark and with an outstanding defensive outfield.

That brings us back to Hamilton.

Hardly anyone around baseball was expecting the Angels, who clearly needed pitching, to go after the best offensive player on the market.

But they signed Hamilton because Dipoto believed he balanced the lineup with a powerful left-handed hitter, created the depth to allow them to trade for pitching (Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners for Vargas) and improved the defense.

The Angels will move Mike Trout, a Gold Glove finalist in center field in his rookie year, to left field, with Peter Bourjos playing center. Hamilton, who spent most of his career in center, goes to right.

"We went from having an extra good outfield defense to a dynamic defense," Dipoto said. "There are three center fielders out there."

With Hamilton in the lineup, the Angels will now have Trout, Albert Pujols, Hamilton and Pujols hitting in the top five spots in the order. They combined for 135 homers last year, more than five teams.

Add it all up and the Angels go into this spring as one of the favorites for the World Series, along with the Dodgers and Washington Nationals.

Of course, the Angels were in a similar spot last spring after the additions of Pujols and Wilson, so they know "winning the offseason" doesn't count for much when the season begins.

"We feel we're making progress and the organization is growing in the right way," Dipoto said. "I'm excited to see how it all turns out."

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